When a yacht builder or designer knows its audience, it may do things that seem out of the ordinary at first to those not in the know — think hydrofoils, axe bows and SWATH (small-waterplane-area twin hull) designs — each of which had its place in the commercial maritime sector but wasn’t of interest to private yachting until the benefits, and apparent needs, were realized.
The same can be said for adding a model to a production series. In an attempt to attract new customers or retain clients looking to move into a larger (or smaller) yacht, a builder might add a flagship at the top or low end of its size portfolio.
Washington state-based Westport Yachts did just that during the boom building days of 2005 with its 164-foot (50-meter) model, which was followed by a revision of its popular 130-foot (40- meter) tri-deck series. Twelve months ago, the builder unveiled something new — not a bookend option, but rather a 125-foot (38-meter) model that nestled in comfortably between its successful 112 (34-meter) and 130 offerings.
Why a 125-foot model? In a nutshell, the jump from a 112-footer to a 130-foot yacht is too great for some clients. “Most of our 112 owners are private use only,” said Alex Rogers, Westport’s director of yacht sales. “The 130 is a classed boat, and that means an increase in paperwork and expense as well as space, which can deter some buyers.”
Facing the challenge of the raised pilothouse 112 on one side and, on the other, the ABS-classed 130 that is also compliant with Maritime & Coastguard Agency standards — a “classed boat” in the yachting world — Westport set about bridging the gap between the two. The solution came in the form of the ABS-classed 125, a carefully planned amalgam of the two models that combines the increased space and on-deck master stateroom of the 130 with the country kitchen, raised pilothouse and reduced crew requirements of the 112.
“The overall concept of the 125 was to take the best of the 130 and incorporate those elements as well as a host of advanced features into a smaller boat,” Rogers said.
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